PFF scouting report: Jordan Payton, WR, UCLA

Below is the PFF draft profile for UCLA's Jordan Payton, which incorporates PFF’s college grades and scouting intel from our team of analysts. To see all of PFF’s 2016 scouting reports, click here.

Position fit:

Outside wide receiver. 841 of his 890 snaps in 2015 came at either left or right outside receiver

Stats to know:

Had the second-highest overall grade of any wide receiver in the nation last year at +28.9

What he does best:

• Shows the ability to make things happen after the catch, forcing 33 missed tackles from 148 receptions between 2014 and 2015
• Good hands, dropping just six of the 154 catchable passes thrown his way over the past two seasons. Drop rate of 3.89 over that span would have been good enough for ninth amongst receivers in the NFL in 2015
• Success came on a variety of routes, with at least 90 receiving yards on five different route types in 2015
• Uses his body well to shield defenders from the ball. Caught all 15 catchable passes thrown his way on slant routes in 2015
• Second-highest blocking grade (+6.1) at receiver in this draft class. It might not be a primary trait when it comes to the position, but useful for a team that run a lot of wide receiver screens

Biggest concerns:

• More of a possession receiver? Caught 39 percent of the passes thrown his way on go routes and did seem to struggle to consistently separate downfield
• Big plays were limited in 2015, with just two receptions going for 50 yards or more. Did have a reception of at least 20 yards in 11 of 13 games though so struggles were limited to not really being a game breaker
• 49 of his 80 receptions came on passes between zero and nine yards from the line of scrimmage, again pointing to the idea that he is a better fit as a possession receiver

Bottom line:

Payton had a strong 2015 season, showcasing his ability as a receiver as well as an all-round player with his ability as a blocker. When you dig into the numbers he does seem a better fit as a possession receiver, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it is what pushes him down the draft board somewhat when compared with other receivers.